Monday 30 November 2015

Barnet, a tired, sad London borough in a state of decline

One of the advantages, or should I say disadvantages of owning dogs is that our daily walks bring us into daily contact with our environment. What has struck me recently is just how sad, grubby and  tired the Borough is looking. After 13 years of Conservative administration, it is us long term residents who love the Borough who are the unlucky ones. Barnet Town planners proudly trumpet the claim that Colindale is the fastest growing area in Western Europe. Sadly in all of this, the rest of us are completely forgotten. I am appalled by just how neglected the bits of the Borough which aren't being demolished and turned into tiny flats are starting to look.

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Broken Bin in Mill Hill Park
On the 8th October I took this picture of a broken litter bin in Mill Hill Park. As you can see, it has come off its plinth. This is one of many. I thought I'd give the council a chance to see how long they'd just leave it. Well six weeks is enough. still broken. Still shabby. How can you expect residents to be tidy when the bins look like this. It is not just the bins. When I visited my parents grave in Hendon cemetary, that too was in an awful state. Overgrown grass and just generally tired. Our High Street yesterday was scarred with overflowing rubbish bins from shops. The car park in Bunns Lane has spaces being overgrown with plants.
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Bunns Lane Car Park 
Another place which saddened me was the Apex Corner subway. This used to have a fine weeping willow tree, but this has gone. The grassed area used to be trimmed and neat. Now it looks disgusting. The Conservatives at the council tell us that they can't afford it and there are "higher priorities". I don't know about you, but unliker these councillors, who clearly don't care what our manor looks like, I'd be quite happy to spend a few pennies extra a week in tax to employ a few people to tend these areas. If we have no pride in our locality. we will soon see it become a pariah borough where employers shun and house prices plummet.

Council finances are a difficult thing to manage, but proper leadership makes the case for spending money and raising taxes for theings that matter. I don't know about you, but to me stopping this decline is a high priority. I spend over £2,000  a year in council tax. Is it really too much to ask the council to at least make sure that they cut the grass trim the hedges and mend the litter bins?


Sunday 29 November 2015

Black Friday? This is one tradition we definately need to dump


 
Black Friday? To me this is an obscenity. It's bad enough that Christmas has been hijacked by capitalism and turned into the most grotesque celebration of consumerism, now we have a date specifically set aside to get as much dosh out of our wallets as possible.What is Christmas? What should it be? My favourite interpretation was by Charles Dickens. Scrooge is transformed by a meeting with three ghosts who show him the error of his selfish ways. The story is perhaps more powerful than we sometimes remember. Scrooge was actually prepared to see people starve in his selfish miserableness. We don't do that do we, when we buy young Hartley his new Xbox and flat screen TV do we? When we buy young Auriana the new saddle for her pony we are living the values of Christmas aren't we? No we are not. How many people we share a planet with will go hungry on Christmas day? How many are living in fear of their lives? How many are watching their children die of hunger and avoidable disease.

Homeless Action in Barnet logo
 
Black Friday. It struck me as I heard this just how ironic the title is. It is not the civilised west that will suffer this Christmas. When we see the slushy Christmas ads, we don't see the faces of the kids that are suffering in refugee camps, do we? We don't see the kids dying of avoidable diseases do we? But it's not our problem is it? Have you ever wondered why the vile and hateful message of ISIS has such resonance? Do we ever look at our own behaviour? Do we ever consider that launching into a festival of selfishness when half a world is starving, when millions are uprooted by wars and famines may just send a message to our brothers and sisters in the third world that we are corrupt and beyond redemption. It is probably a testament to the basic goodness of human nature that so few actually hate us. I reject all hateful creeds and organisations, but I really do believe we have to start addressing the injustices and inequalities that fuel their hatred. The really peverse thing is that the oil rich Arab states don't lift a finger to help building ever finer palaces for the Kings Sheiks and Princes who run the show. Where does the money that fund ISIS terror come from. I find it sickening that they use Western decadance as a tool, when their own decadence is far more extreme.

The awful truth is that if we weren't so selfish and if we were prepared to share just a little bit more of the pie, everyone in the world could eat and everyone could have access to basic medicins. The right wing, billionaire owned press rant against foreign aid. They tell us that charity should begin at home and we shouldn't be feeding the third world when people in the UK are living in relative poverty. The UK government is committed to giving up 1.7% of our GDP in foreign aid. This is a figure that the press object to. What is never mentioned in these press articles, written by semi literate commentators paid huge sums by billionaires to brainwash us is the fact we throw away over 25% of the food we buy. How can we object to giving away 1.7%, when we throw away 25%? Then there is energy consumption. We waste over 50% of the energy we produce. It literally goes up in smoke.

Why do we go so crazy buying things we don't need? I think we need to reclaim Black Friday. I have a suggesting. Why don't we make Black Friday a real Black Friday. Why don't we turn off all of the heating, appliances (apart from the Fridge) and electric lighting in our homes for 25 Minutes (which is 1.7% of a day). Skip a meal and donate the cost to a charity that is involved in helping people in the third world. If a typical meal at home costs £2 and everyone in the country did this, it would buy a basic Christmas meal for 200 million people. Maybe you can afford a bit more than £2?

Of course it isn't going to be Black Friday for another 363 days. So why not do it anyway. And as for the point that the rich press baron lackeys make? Charity begins at home. Well that is also true. If you are in the London Borough of Barnet, there are several foodbank and homeless projects. If you want to donate to the Colindale Foodbank, the Sacred Heart Church in Mill Hill is doing a collection next weekend. You don't have to be a member of any religion to contribute, the Church is just a drop off point. They don't need Pasta, tea bags or baked beans at the moment. I'd suggest that as it's Christmas, you could be a bit creative. Non perishable foods and sanitary products inc disposable nappies are welcome. Another great local project is Homeless Action Barnet. On Tuesday night I did a sleepover as a helper at John Keble Church in Mill Hill which is part of the night shelter project. Our efforts meant that fifteen people didn't have to sleep out on a cold wet night. We really as a society should do more.

Saturday 28 November 2015

The Tweets of the Week in the London Borough of Barnet 28/11/2015

It's been a while, TBH the local Twitterai has been a tad dull of late. This week though, it's been quality. So here is the pick of the bunch.

1. We start with a pair of tweets from one of our more sensible Conservative Councillors and former Mayor Hugh Rayner

Syria (1) Why can't UK support campaign in other ways than bombing - like providing targeting information. Why do we have to get embroiled?

  1. Syria (2) And money saved can be used to protect lives at home. Bombing without an exit strategy achieves nothing. Remain to be convinced!
2. It is always nice to see a Burnt Oak lad bigging up their hood. Big Norm from Burnt Oak simply loves it. 

you should try living in Burnt Oak like I do. it's lovely! nice library too.


3.Love this tweet & picture

Friday the 13th Halifax II (III) Bomber at YAM. Original nose art at RAF Hendon


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 4. Mr Mustard thinks motorists in Mill Hill are being short changed


Hey you rake in c.£600,000 a year in the Bunns Lane Car Park. So why do you leave it in a state? 
 
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 5. Not strictly in Barnet, but only down the road..

At wonderful museum in Stanmore which is now selling these amazing volunteer made biscuits 

 6. Lovely tweet from one of our favourite tweeters

This was where Ronnie Mitchell was earlier on  




7. Some great news for the Barnet Eye pub of the year 2014 - where we lead, others follow!


First time landlords of Colindale pub scoop national award
 
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 8. Barnet Eye Guest Blogger Andrew Evans has been getting some good feedback for a great article on living in Barnet!

 
9. Anyone lost a silver shilling? 
 
Today's star find in the hunt for Barnet battlefield, was this rather lovely silver shilling of James I!  

 

10. We were on the @RobertElms show this week promoting our Save London Music campaign!

The BIG London Venue Project – In association with The Robert Elms Show on BBC Radio London



Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Some real crackers there methinks! But I've saved the best till last! Our old pal Brian Coleman tells Lib Dem Leader Tim Farron that Serious Politicians don't do "Have I Got News For You". Is this a subtle dig at Boris or has Brian just got a bad memory? I've heard Brian has a new career giving advice to fledging politicians on how to get on in politics. I wonder if "don't beat women in the High St" is high on the list?


looked embarrassed and light weight . Serious Politicians don't do this show

David Cameron - A weak leader asking the wrong question

There is a lot of press chatter at the moment about just how awful a leader Jeremy Corbyn is for the Labour Party and how his own party don't back his stance on Iraq. They say that he is unfit to be leader of the Labour Party because his own MP's don't agree with his stance that he thinks bombing won't solve anything. What I find truly amazing (or maybe not given who controls the press) is that none of them are saying the same thing about David Cameron. Unlike Corbyn, Cameron was selected by a majority of his MP's and unlike Corbyn he has an absolute majority in the House of Commons. if his own party was united, we'd already be bombing Syria, but Cameron can't even be sure of a majority if , as expected a large number of Labour MP's rebel against the Corbyn line. Why is no one talking about splits and divisions in the Conservative Party?

The other thing we hear nothing of is why Camerons own MP's refuse to back him. Whatever you may or may not think of Conservative MP's the reason is quite simple. There are too many of them that are too well educated and intelligent to support an action that history tells us is doomed to fail and will simply make matters worse. If bombing a city full of fanatics to rubble made them change their minds, the second world war would have finished a year earlier. In 1944 it was clear to every German citizen that the RAF and the USAF could bomb German cities with virtual impunity. It was also clear to them that the allies were advancing in both the east and the west. Did they give up? Did the British give up when the Germans blitzed London? In Syria we are not talking about people with our values. We are talking about religious fundamentalists who believe that if they are killed in an act of war they will go to paradise. They are not afraid of our bombers, in fact they use them as a propoganda weapon, to recruit more jihadis. Cameron argues that the bombing disrupts their ability to plan terrorist atrocities against the West. This is the biggest load of old cobblers of all. The Paris attacks were planned in Paris and Belgium. The attackers did not have sophisticated weapons supplied from Syria at great expense. They had AK47's bought on the local black market and suicide vests presumably knocked up in the kithcens of Brussels. Unlike the 9/11 attacks ISIS do not have a well known leader such as Bin Laden to inspire them. They have a whole ragbag of different local chiefs, none of whom we have ever heard of.

Cameron is clearly a leader who lacks authority. His own party know his days as leader are numbered. Already with the tax credit fiasco his regimes authority is in tatters. His loyal sidekick Geoerge Osborne has just performed the biggest U turn for decades, abandoning his plans for changes to tax credits, in face of open revolt in his own party. A mere six months ago Osborne looked like the heir apparent, now he looks like the unwanted pubic hair of a B grade porn star, awaiting the razor to usher in the next Braszilian trim.  I find it incredible that with such a completely shambolic government, the Labour Party is completely unable to mount any sort of proper opposition. Labour MP's are too busy trying to shaft their own democratically elected leadership, to bother with the day job of being her majesties loyal opposition. As George Osborne announced U turn after U turn, completely destroying the principles on which he based his re election in May, the abour Party simply  forgot about him and indulged in an unseemly political punch up amongst themselves. In football terms it was as if a striker had an open goal, but instead of banging the ball into the net, he ran back and punched the captain and said "Look how clever I am, I could have scored a goal". In short they are doing the work of the Murdoch press for them.

It seems to me that at the moment, the only sensible opposition is from the Tories themselves. A sizeable group of Tory MP's have recognised that Cameron has no plan for Syria. He simply wants to bomb Syria so he can't be accused of doing nothing. No one in the West has managed to formulate a coherant response to the threat of ISIS or other forms of radical Islam. There is a very good reason for this. There is an old FBI adage on how you deal with difficult problems They used it to defeat Al Capone and his gangster friends in Chicago in the 1930's. It is quite simple. "Follow the Money". Every terrorist organisation, large or small, needs significant funding to survive. The IRA was bankrolled for decades by wealthy Americans. These islamic fundamentalists are bankrolled by Arab Oil money, largely from Saudi Arabia. ISIS also control oilfields and refineries in their territories and sell oil on the black market. If we were serious about stopping ISIS, we'd go after the men who supply the money which means that this ragbag army. But we don't, do we? Why not? Because it's good for business. Whilst the middle east is in flames, the men who make and sell weapons are minting it. If you want to make a few quid, invest in the companies that make drones and smartbombs. All of the squillions of $$$'s spent on these since 9/11. Do you feel any safer for it?

9/11 happened fifteen years ago. In fifteen years, our leaders, first Blair and Bush, now Cameron and Obama have not managed a coherent plan. There is no strategy for dealing with Islamic Fundamental terrorism. Don't you think that is rather odd. Don't you think that by now, with all of the death and destruction, someone would have said "we need a strategy to combat these ideologies and we need to persuade the angry young men that violence isn't the way". Does anyone really believe that you can persuade a violent fanatic, hell bent on death and destruction that he is wrong by unleashing death and destruction on him and his family?

Cameron wants to ask the house of commons "Do I have the authority of the house to authorise British forces to bomb Syria?". Cameron is a weak leader, who for reasons I cannot fathom, no one seems to have realised is past his sell by date. The question he should be asking the house is a far more simple question to answer. That question is "Which way is the door". What the country needs is a Prime Minister who actually has a plan. Cameron has no plan for dealing with terrorists and as George Osborne explained to  us on Wednesday, his plan for the economy is in tatters. Dave may be a lovely bloke, but his time is up. If he was to bale out now, I think he'd actually have a decent legacy for leading the coalition and shoring up the finances of UK PLC. His time is up now and we need  a new Prime Minister.

Friday 27 November 2015

Just remember this next time you hear a politician slagging off a working person for going on strike

Next time you hear a politician slagging off doctors, teachers, nurses, firemen etc for going on strike for better working conditions, just remember this is someone who votes on the level of their own payrise, can have a second home paid for by us even if they live locally, can put having their moat cleaned as an expense, can employ their mates at taxpayers expense and has their own bar with cheap booze. Do you really think any working people would really go on strike if they were in the same position as MP's.

The Friday Joke - 27/11/2015 -SEX AT 73



SEX AT 73

As a few readers will know, I've been having treatment for Prostate Cancer. My doctor just sent me  a leaflet about the treatment I will be having,  informing me  that I will be able have sex at 73 if the operation works!

I'm so happy, because I live at number 29.
So it's not too far to walk home afterwards.
And it's the same side of the street.
I don't even have to cross the road!

Thursday 26 November 2015

Why I started the Save London Music campaign

The seeds of the campaign were sown when I was organising the Mill Hill Music Festival earlier this year. I realised that in Mill Hill alone, we've lost seven venues where the festival has held gigs since I became involved in 2001 (Mill Hill Sports Club (School), St Josephs College, The Rose and Crown, The Mill, Holcombe House (all Flats), The Bell, The Jolly Badger (Restaurants). I then had a look at the list of venues I've performed with my band at, and this was an even longer and far sadder list with some great London venues disappearing. Some such as The Moonlight Club in West Hampstead and The Purple Turtle were well established venues with important musical histories.  I wasn't the only one to notice, with a cottage industry sprining up detailing lost venues. Another disturbing trend is the number of rehearsal and recording studios closing. In North London, we've lost two excellent studios (Blues and Station Studios) in Southgate. These were long established and well run establishments.

Rog T's gig records
FYI - Here's a list of London Music Venues that I've gigged at with the False Dots that have closed (taken from my scrapbook records)

Gooners at The Copper, Tower Bridge Road
The Ad Lib Club, Kensington
Tunnel Club, East Greenwich
The Moonlight club, West Hampstead
The Prince Albert, Golders Green
The Bald Faced Stag, Burnt Oak
The Pinder of Wakefield, Kings Cross
The Cricklewood Hotel, Crickelwood
St Josephs College, Mill Hill
The Red Lion, Colindale
The Mill Hill Sports Club, Mill Hill
The Purple Turtle, Camden Town



Some people have said to me that the reason music venues are in decline is because the world has changed and there is no demand. I don't believe a word of this. During this years Mill Hill Music Festival, we saw record crowds at venues. Our final night party at The Three Hammers with Joe Angel saw the Hammers more packed than I've ever seen it in 35 years going to the pub. All of the events were well attended. We've also seen The Chandos Arms in Colindale transformed by new owenrs who have turned it into an award winning establishment, with music being a key feature in their package.  It is clear to me that if you put the right music on and make the effort to promote it, you will develop a good business. Sadly the economics of London put no value on the benefits to the economy of music and creative industries. Instead the way it works in London is that you get rich by asset stripping and destruction of anything of cultural value. That is why we need a Save London Music campaign. That way our important venues will have a future we'll have a better standard of life and the economy will continue to benefit from the huge contribution from creative industries.

Tuesday 24 November 2015

The BIG London Venue Project – In association with The Robert Elms Show on BBC Radio London

Robert Elms - BBC Radio London
The #SaveLondonMusic Campaign, in association with the Robert Elms show on BBC Radio London are embarking on a mission to identify all of the current music venues in London. Once we have identified them, we are aiming to stage a gig at each one, before the end of 2016. We launched the project on Roberts show today.


We got a fantastic response on Roberts Facebook Page. We’ve agreed to set up a central list of venues here. This list is divided into two sections. The first is the list that was identified by the London Mayors Music Venues Task Force, you can Checkout the Interactive map here. We’ve only listed the Grassroutes venues listed.  It is also worth having a look at the London Music Venue Trust website.
We’ll issue regular updates of all #SaveLondonMusic gigs as we aim to get a gig at every single one by the end of 2016.  Check our events for the upcoming events.
Massive thanks to Robert and all at BBC Radio London for their help.
Please follow the #SaveLondonMusic facebook page for more details on the campaign events.
Identified for GLA report


229 229 Great Portland Street London, London W1W 5PN
100 Club 100 Oxford St London, London W1D 1LD Phone Number: 7636 0933 Group: Grassroots Music Venue
12 Bar (New) 203 Holloway Road London, London N7 8DL Phone Number: 020 7240 2120
93 Feet East 150 Brick Lane London, London E1 6QN Phone Number: 7247 3293
Ain’t Nothin But Blues Bar 20 Kingly St, Soho London, London W1B 5PZ Phone Number: 7287 0514
Bedroom Bar 62-68 Rivington Street London, London EC2A 3AY
Big Chill Bar Dray Walk (off Brick Lane) London, London E1 6QL Phone Number: 020 7392 9180 Group: Grassroots Music Venue
Birthdays 33-35 Stoke Newington Road London, London N16 8BJ
Borderline 16 Manette St London, London W1D 4JB Phone Number: 7434 9592
Bulls Head Barnes 373 Longsdale Rd London, London SW13 0PY Phone Number: 8876 5241
Cafe Oto 18-22 Ashwin Street London, London E8 3DL
Corsica Studios 5 Elephant Rd London, London SE17 1LB
Dingwalls Middle Yard, Camden Lock London, London NW1 8AB Phone Number: 20 7428 5929
Electrowerkz 7 Torrens St London, London EC1V 1NQ Phone Number: 7837 6419
Fabric EC1 77a Charterhouse St London, London EC1M 6HJ Phone Number: 7490 0444
Fiddler’s Elbow 1 Malden Road London, London NW5 3HS
Fox & Firkin 316 Lewisham High St London, London SE13 6JZ Phone Number: 8690 8925
Green Note 106 Parkway London, London NW1 7AN Phone Number: 7485 9899 Group: Grassroots Music Venue
Halfmoon Putney 93 Lower Richmond Rd London, London SW15 1EU Phone Number: 8780 9383
Hope & Anchor 207 Upper St London, London N1 1BZ Phone Number: 7354 1312
Hoxton Square bar and Kitchen 2-4 Hoxton Square London, London N1 6NU Phone Number: 7419 4696
Jazz After Dark 9 Greek St London, London W1V 5LE Phone Number: 7734 0545
Jazz Café 5 Parkway London, London NW1 7PG Phone Number: 7916 6060
Jazz Club Soho 10 Dean Street London, London W1D 3RW Phone Number: 0845 6027 017
Klinker @ The Sussex Pub 107a Culford Rd London, London N1 4HT Phone Number: 8806 8216
Koko 1a Camden High St London, London NW1 7JE Phone Number: 0870 4325 527
Le QuecumBar 42 Battersea High St London, London SW11 3HX Phone Number: 7787 2227
Nambucca 596 Holloway Rd London, London N7 5LB Phone Number: 7263 6939
Nell’s Jazz & Blues 3 North End Crescent London, London W14 8TG Phone Number: 0207 7921200
New Cross Inn 323 New Cross Road London, London SE14 6AS
Notting Hill Arts Club 21 Notting Hill Gate London, London W11 3JQ Phone Number: 7598 5226
Olivers Jazz Bar 9 Nevada St London, London SE10 9JL Phone Number: 8858 5855
Passing Clouds 1 Richmond Rd London, London E8 4AA
Plan B 418 Brixton Road London, London SW9 7AY
Power Lunches 446 Kingsland Road London, London E8 4AE
Purple Turtle **Closed 65 Crowndale Rd London, London NW1 1TN Phone Number: 7383 4976
Roadtrip & The Workshop 243 Old Street London, London EC1V 9EY Group: Grassroots Music Venue
Ronnie Scotts 47 Frith St London, London W1D 4HT Phone Number: 7439 0747
Sebright Arms 9 Alston Road London, London EN5 4ET
Servant Jazz Quarters 10A Bradbury Street London, London N16 8JN
Shacklewell Arms 71 Shacklewell Lane London, London E8 2EB
Shapes 117 Wallis Road London, London E9 5LN
St Moritz 159 Wardour Street London, London W1F 8WJ Phone Number: 7437 0525
Surya 156 Pentonville Road London, London N1 9JL Group: Grassroots Music Venue
The Barfly 49 Chalk Farm Road London, London NW1 8AN Group: Grassroots Music Venue
The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill London, London SW12 9HD Phone Number: 8682 8940
The Betsey Trotwood 56 Farringdon Rd London, London EC1R 3BL Phone Number: 7253 4285
The Black Heart 2-3 Greenland Place London, London NW1 0AP
The Boston Arms 178 Junction Rd London, London N19 5QQ Phone Number: 7272 8153
The Coronet 26-28 New Kent Rd London, London SE1 6TJ
The Dome 178 Junction Rd London, London N19 5QQ Phone Number: 7272 8153
The Dublin Castle 94 Parkway London, London NW1 7AN Phone Number: 7485 1773
The Ealing Club / The Red Room 42A The Broadway London, London W5 2NP
The Fiddlers Elbow 1 Maiden Rd London, London NW5 3HS Phone Number: 7485 3269
The Fighting Cock 56 London Rd, Kingston London, London KT 2 6QA Phone Number: 8546 5174
The Finsbury 336 Green Lanes London, London N4 1BY
The Garage 20-22 Highbury Corner London, London N5 1RD Phone Number: 7607 1818
The George Tavern 373 Commercial Road London, London E1 0LA
The Good Ship 289 Kilburn High Road London, London NW6 7JR
The Harrison Harrison Street London, London WC1H 8JF Phone Number: 7278 3966
The Hideaway 2 Empire Mews London, London SW16 2ED
The Islington 1 Tolpuddle Street London, London N1 0XT
The Lexington 96-98 Pentonville Road London, London N1 9JB
The Macbeth 70 Hoxton Street London, London N1 6LP
The Montague Arms 289 Queens Rd London, London SE15 2PA Phone Number: 7639 4923
The Nest 36 Stoke Newington Road London, London London N16 7XJ
The Old Blue Last 38 Great Eastern Street London, London EC2A 3ES
The Pheasantry 152 Kings Road London, London SW3 4UT
The Puzzle Pub 175-177 Fulham Palace Rd London, London W6 8QT Phone Number: 7381 8682
The Social 5 Little Portland St London, London W1N 5AG Phone Number: 7494 2998
The Spice of Life 6 Moor St London, London W1V 5LJ
The Stillery 18 Kentish Town Road London, London NW1 9NX
The Strongroom Bar 120-124 Curtain Rd London, London EC2A 3SQ Phone Number: 7426 5100
The Troubadour Club 263-7 Old Brompton Rd London, London SW5 9JA Phone Number: 7370 1434
The Unicorn 227 Camden Road London, London NW1 9AA
The Waiting Room 175 Stoke Newington High Street London, London N16 0LH
The White Lion 232, Streatham High Rd London, London SW16 1BB Phone Number: 8677 3341
The Windmill 22 Blenheim Gardens London, London SW2 5BZ Phone Number: 8671 0700
Troy Bar 10 Hoxton Street London, London N1 6NG Phone Number: 020 739 6695
Underbelly 11 Hoxton Sq London, London N1 6NU
Underworld, The 174 Camden High St London, London NW1 0NE Phone Number: 7482 1932
Upstairs @ The Garage 20-22 Highbury Corner London, London N5 1RD Phone Number: 7607 1818
Upstairs @ The Ritzy Coldharbour Lane London, London SW2 1JG Phone Number: 020 7326 2627
Village Underground 54 Holywell Lane London, London EC2A 3PQ
Vortex Dalston 11 Gillett St London, London N16 8JN Phone Number: 7254 6516
XOYO 32-37 Cowper Street London, London EC2A 4AP
606 Club 90 Lots Rd London, London SW10 0QD Phone Number: 7352 5953








Newly Identified venues


Blues Kitchen, Camden Town


Bussey, Bussey, BLOCK A, BUSSEY BUILDING, 133 RYE LANE, PECKHAM, SE15 4ST TEL 020 7732 5275
Chandos Arms, Colindale


Distillers Arms, Hammersmith


Ealing Eclectic The Ealing Club


Earl Craig Hall, Crouch End


Guns And Smoke, Barnet, Regular music . Various covers and originals . Open mic
Hilary Viana Que cum bar, 47 – 44 Battersea High Street SW11 – Gypsy Jazz nightly
London Fields Brewery, London Fields Brewery 365-366 Warburton Street London E8 3RR UK
Mill Hill Jazz Club, Mill Hill Golf Club

Neils Blues Bar, Fulham


Peltam Arms, Greenwich


Pizza Express


Quicks Road Club, Kilburn


Rochester Castle, Stoke Newington

St Giles in the Fields Church, 60 St Giles High St, London, WC2H 8LG

St Harmonicas Blues Club Cannon Hill, Southgate

St John Smiths Square, St John’s Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HA

St Monicas, Southgate, Jazz Blues


T Chances, Tottenham High Road


The Alleycat, Denmark St


The Balham Bowls Club


The Bridgehouse2, Canning Town


The Brooklyn Bowl


The Cavern Freehouse, Raynes Park

The Duke, 112 Wood Street, Walthamstow, London, E17 3HX

The Earl Hague Hall Crouch End


The Eleanor Arms, Victoria Park


The Enterprise Haverstock Hill


The Garage, Islington


The George Tavern, Commercial Road

The Gladstone Arms, SE1


The Grape & Grain, Crystal Palace, 20 piece Big Band on a Mon night

The Great Northern Railway Tavern, Hornsey hosts Kalamazoo Acoustic
The Green Note, Camden Parkway

The Griffin in Whetstone . Fairly regular music and open mic

The Gunners, Blackstock Road


The Hand in Hand, 61 New Park Road, Brixton, London, SW2 4EN

The Hanwell Hootie


The Hare, Cambridge Heath Road,


The Harvey Arms, Crouch End


The Ivy House, Peckham


The Jambourie, Cable St Studios


The Kensington Park Hotel, Ladbroke Grove, Jazz (fighting redevelopment)
The Main Yard, Hackney Wick,


The Man Of Kent, Peckham


The Midland Hotel, Hendon


The Mitre, Tooting


The Oddfellows, Arms Pinner


The Old Nuns Head, Peckham


The Paradise, Kensal Green


The Pelton Arms,Greenwich


The Pickle Factory, 13-14 The Oval


The Red House aka St Anthony’s club, Upton Avenue, Forest Gate, E7

The Southampton Arms, Kentish Town,

The Three Wishes, Edgware


The Worlds End, Finsbury Park


Under The Bridge, Chelsea


Whats Cookin, Leytonstone,


Windmill, Brixton